What I know about horses and reading …

Horses and books, it’s hard to imagine my life without either as both have had a similar impact on my life. Horses opened up a whole new world for me, they are my reality and over time I recognised more about myself through my association with them. While books have always been my way to escape, a magical time alone to be any place in the world I choose. Reading and observing my horses are my absolute favourite ways to spend time. I wonder if it’s also why I ended up writing about horses? Combining the two things that most define me.

Fiction is such a world of freedom, it’s wonderful. If you want someone to fly, they can fly.

~Alice Walker

One thing I know for sure is that reading and horses are like two sides of a coin – both have offered me great joy, an escape when needed, information, knowledge, a wealth of life inspiration and a lots and lots of laughs.

Down through the ages horses have been the means to move the world forward, so I imagine it must be why so many fascinating phrases from our day to day life are associated with the horse.

The more I searched the more phrases I found here are a few:

Back the wrong Horse – When faced with a number of choices, you choose the wrong one.

Beat a dead Horse – Waste time or effort on something which cannot succeed.

You can lead a horse to water but can’t make it drink – You can give someone advice but you can’t make them take it.

Eat like a Horse – To eat a lot.

To put the cart before the Horse – Things need to be done in the correct order.

Champing at the bit – To be eager to do something, to be frustrated by delay or restraint.

Change Horses midstream – To change one’s mind about something when it is too late to change or to try a different approach when it is too late to change.

Dark Horse – Someone who wins a competition unexpectedly.

Feeling his oats – Used to describe someone who is acting more energetic than usual.

Straight from the Horse’s mouth – To hear something direct from the person concerned.

Healthy as a Horse – To be very healthy.

Get off your high Horse – An attitude of arrogant superiority.

Hold your Horses – Asked to wait.

Horse around – To engage in childish behaviour.

Horse sense – Used to mean common sense.

Horses for courses – One needs to use the correct approach for a situation.

Work like a Horse – To work hard, or long hours.

Drawings by Norman Thelwell.

Norman Thelwell was an English cartoonist well known for his humorous illustrations of ponies and horses. Wikipedia